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Thomas knew that something was wrong with Alexander from the moment the man entered the office. His voice was the first thing anyone could hear when he walked into any room, he liked to announce his presence. He was also usually with one of his friends which only amplified their conversation.
But today he walked in alone and silent, bag tucked against his chest and staring straight ahead all the way to his desk.
Thomas looked over at James at the desk in front of him but the man was on the phone and not paying the slightest bit of attention.
Thomas grinned to himself. Peace and quiet was not often a luxury they were able to have and so this was a rare treat.
The immigrant looked forlorn. He was skimming over a few files he’d pulled from his bag but Thomas could tell her wasn’t really reading them, his face looked distant like he was thinking of other things.
“Hamilton look kinda pathetic to you?” James asked him done with his phone conversation.
“I was gonna ask you the same thing.” Thomas leaned back in his chair. “I’m used to him running his mouth from the second he gets here.”
“He looks mopey. I wonder what happened.”
Thomas stretched. “Daddy Washington probably looked at him wrong and he’s over thinking it.”
The two men snickered into their palms.
“Ten bucks says you won’t go ask him what's wrong.” James suddenly said with faux seriousness.
“Oh you are so on.” He jumped out of his chair trying to appear nonchalant as he sauntered across the open floor to Alexander’s desk.
“Heyyyy Alexander.” He sing songed rested his palms on the hardwood desk.
The man didn’t even look up from his laptop to acknowledge him with his usual glare.
“Go away Jefferson.” He mumbled clacking away at the keys.
Thomas chose instead to perch himself on the edge of the desk. “Come on, I know you aren’t busy, you always finish your work before everyone else. I just wanted to chat.”
“Well I don't.” He snapped, flashing his eyes at him. “So fuck off.”
Thomas placed a hand over his heart as though he were physically wounded. “What's got your socks in a twist today? You’re acting even bitchier than normal.”
“Maybe it's because of the annoying asshole who won’t leave me alone.”
“I’m serious, Hamilton.” Thomas drummed his fingers on the desk surface. “You look like a kicked puppy over here.”
“How nice of you to be concerned.” He said sarcastically, turning his attention back to the computer.
“Are you okay?” He asked, cocking his head.
“Like you care.” He scoffed. “Don’t think I didn't see you and James giggling earlier.”
Thomas chooses to not be ashamed and crosses his legs. “Well that was a joke because I thought there is no possible reason you could be this upset.”
Alexander grunts.
“So again, you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He says through grit teeth.
“You know i can tell when you’re fucking lying right?”
“You know I can tell when you’re being an infuriating little shit?”
“Oh excuse me for trying to have a heart.” He knew it wasn’t quite fair but Alexander always had the uncanny ability to make him pissed off with only a few sentences. “What the fuck happened Alexander? Daddy Washington took away one of your toys.”
“Go away Thomas.”
“You ran out of coffee this morning? You stay up too late and now you’re going to pass out by lunch time?”
“Go away Thomas.”
“You’re nerd ass boyfriend dick down someone else?”
Alexander’s head shoots up in the next second and his eyes are full of anger-
And pain.
“I told you to leave me the fuck alone and go away!” But his voice is trembling this time and Thomas knows he has nailed this one right on the head.
“Oh shit.” He curses. “Hamilton-”
“Don’t say you’re fucking sorry or any other lie like that.” He clenches and unclenches his hands a few times before resuming his work. “I don’t even care.”
“You don’t care? You guys were dating for a few months.”
“Not my circus, not my monkeys. He doesn’t want to be with me, that's his loss and I'm moving on.”
He in fact did not look like he was moving on. He looked like he’d stayed up all night crying before forcing himself to work.
“Yeah but still i mean cheating-”
“I really don’t want to talk to you about this. We aren’t even friends.”
Thomas uncomfortably crossed his arms, forgetting in his moment of pity why he’d been over there in the first place. “No we aren’t. Fine sit over here and mope the whole day away. I don't give a shit. Just don’t miss our meeting with Washington
“Fuck you Jefferson.” He says. Thomas faintly wonders if he is going to cry before he turns on his heel and slinks back to his desk with the newfound knowledge tumbling around in his brain.
Alexander’s boyfriend had cheated on him.
Thomas had only met Benjamin a handful of times and each of them against his will. He could see why he’d be Hamilton’s type. Tall and lanky with pale skin and a short bob of light brown hair usually tied at the nape of his neck. Seemingly educated with many things that Alexander was interested in.
Thomas couldn’t remember what he did for work but he was like Aaron Burr, kind of a know it all. Polite enough but always seemed to have kind of an attitude that Thomas did not like. But he had always thought the man was harmless.
“You look burnt.” James slid a 10 across his desk when he sat back down but Thomas didn’t even look at it.
“What was bothering him?” James asked.
He pauses deciding whether or not he should spill.
“Something moronic.” He smooths his hair back. “He’s just a pussy.”
James nods, not pushing things further as he turns to his own computer. Thomas, who had nothing else planned but the later meeting, plays with the money James had put on his desk and battles an internal conflict of his own personal morals.
He hates Alexander with a burning passion and wanted to strangle him on a daily basis but getting cheated on by your partner, he couldn’t even imagine the pain. He busied himself with stupid little desk tasks trying to clear his head.
About twenty minutes later he watched Alexander shuffle out of the room with his bag slung over his shoulder, and thirty minutes after that it was time for their meeting with Washington. The man being the CEO was very busy and usually late to their meetings so Thomas was not surprised when he entered his office to find him not in it.
But Alexander also was not, which was odd.
He ditched his bag on a chair and decided to take a bathroom break before they all sat down to talk. The nearest bathroom was down the hall and he entered it to hear the sound of someone crying.
They must have heard him enter the room because it abruptly stopped because he could still hear them breathing heavily.
“Hey sorry i didn’t mean to-”
But then the stall door opened and he saw a red faced Alexander.
“Oh it’s you.” He wiped furiously at the tracks on his face and tried to pull his rumpled hair back into a bun. “Sorry I was just getting ready for the meeting.”
Thomas hesitated by the door, it would be a douche move to just leave him like that especially considering what he knew.
He locks the door.
“If you tell anyone i was nice to you i swear i’ll set your hair on fire, but are you okay? Really?”
Alexander played with his hair, avoiding Thomas’s eyes.
“I just thought we had a really good thing going, you know? He was nice and he was smart and we had a lot of fun together.”
“What happened?”
“We went out last night to go dancing with some friends. He and a couple of his buddies wanted to stay at one of the clubs but Laurens, Laf, and Herc wanted to hit up a new dive. We split ways, and promised to meet at 11.” He breathed out heavily. “We went to meet them and one of the bartenders told me he’d been at the counter all night and then went into one of the rooms with a girl he met. I found them like that all wrapped up with each other.”
“Oh no.”
“Yeah.” Alexander shrugged and wiped his nose. “I just left, he keeps trying to call me but I keep ignoring him. I’m gonna tell him it's over obviously but I just can’t work up to it yet.”
Fresh tears form at the corner of his eyes and he reaches for the toilet paper dispenser.
“Uh hang on, here.” Thomas reaches in his jacket pocket and pulls out his silk handkerchief. “It’s gotta be softer than that weak ass two ply.” He crosses the room to hand it to him.
“Thank you.” Alexander wipes at his eyes.
They are standing close now and Thomas pauses for a moment before gripping him by the shoulder with one hand.
“It’s going to be okay. Okay? He’s just a guy, one heartbreak closer to true love or whatever romantics say.”
This earns him a small smile.
“And you deserve to be treated so much better than that Alexander.”
“I know you don’t mean it, but thank you.”
“I mean it!” He’s quick with a retort. “Just because I don't like you doesn’t mean I don't have feelings. It’s awful what he did to you and if he can’t see how lucky he was to have you then he doesn’t deserve to be with you.”
“That’s really nice of you to say. But I don't know what I did wrong.”
“Nothing, I can't imagine a reason he’d do this except for being a douchebag.
The phone in Alexander’s pocket buzzes and he cringes.
“That’s him?”
“He’s been non-stop calling for the past 15 minutes. I just keep hanging up.”
He looks at the screen swiping to end the call and then his eyes go wide. “He says he’s here at the office and wants to talk to me.”
“You’re kidding. What are you going to do?”
He takes a deep breath. “I guess go talk to him, i can’t have him where i work causing a scene. That’s unprofessional.”
“I’ll go with you.” Thomas offers and he shakes his head.
“No you don’t have to do that, I'll tell him it’s over and make him leave.”
Despite Alexander’s reservations Thomas follows him out of the bathroom and down the hall to the main room where all of their desks are.
Thomas is first to spot him talking to Laurens, the other man has his arms crossed and does not look happy to see Benjamin at all.
Benjamin spies Alex and shuffles right past Laurens heading straight for them. Thomas hangs back as Alexander stays forward.
“Alex baby.” He coos
“What are you doing here Benjamin?”
“I came to talk, you won’t answer my phone calls honey.”
“Gee i fucking wonder why?” He asked sarcstically, crassoing his arms.
“Look what you saw last night, that wasn’t me.”
“You have a twin brother I don't know about?”
“I mean that isn’t who I am. It was a mistake, I made a mistake.” Benjamin pleads.
“So did i. By going out with you.”
“Don’t say that sweetheart-.”
“Don’t call me that!” Alexander stabs a finger at him. “I trusted you and you fucked someone behind my back!”
“Alexander-”
“Have you done this before?”
“No of course not-”
“And how am I supposed to believe anything that you say?”
“And how am i supposed to explain myself when you won’t let me talk!”
Their voices are rising in volume and they are garnering stares from the other people in the room.
“I don’t want you to explain yourself, there’s nothing to explain. You cheated on me and i fucking caught you! I want you to get the fuck out of my life and leave me alone, we’re done!”
“Done? You have no idea what you’re talking about!”
“Excuse me? Are you dumb, or hard of hearing? We. Are. Done! Done Benjamin, I'm breaking up with you. Get out of here!”
“I’m not leaving!” Benjamin argues stepping closer, you’re going to hear me out!”
Alexander steps backwards, it’s a reflex Thomas can tell within a second. His stance is fearful, hands already raised to defend himself, his expression is terrified and a million different scenarios flash through Thomas’s mind of situations just like this. Alexander alone up against Benjamin, without witnesses, no one to help him.
He’s done just watching.
He strides forward, lip curled as he puts an arm around Alexander’s shoulder. Benjamin and Alexander both look startled.
“I think.” He says very slowly trying to control his anger. “That you need to back up right now.”
“Piss off tall ass this has nothing to do with you!” Benjamin growls.
“I said.” He stabs a finger hard into his sternum. “You need to back the fuck up.”
“You don’t tell me what to do, you got some beef lets fucking go bitch!”
“Oh my god!” Sally Hemings cries from somewhere behind him. Thomas faintly wonders where the fuck Washington is.
“He’s telling you to leave.” Thomas remains calm. “So I think you should listen to him and go.”
Benjamin doesn’t budge so he steps forward. “Come on man move it.” He grabs his arm and Benjamin swings, he tastes blood in his mouth as he busts his upper lip but that is all he gets to do before Thomas’s fist connects with his face and he crumples like a paper doll. Unconscious.
“Call the front desk someone please.” Thomas says looking down at him. “Get him out of here before he embarrasses himself any further.”
He tenderly touches his lip and his fingers come away bloody.
“Here.” Alexander hands him the handkerchief he’d given him earlier and Thomas gratefully takes it. “Let's get you to the staff room, we’ve got a first aid kit in there.”
He can tell that a vast majority of the witnesses want to know what the fuck happened but he doesn’t really care enough to explain to anybody why he knocked out Alexander’s ex boyfriend so he just steps over the body and follows him out of the room.
Alexander waits till they are seated in the staff bathroom, Thomas dabbing at his lip with a cotton swab before speaking.
“You didn’t have to do that.” Thomas looks at him through the mirror but Alexander is looking at his hands.
“He was being a total asshole, I couldn't just stand there.” He pauses, chewing on the question before asking. “He’s hit you before hasn’t he?”
Alexander nods, not even trying to deny it. But he doesn’t seem to want to talk about it so Thomas doesn’t pry. Alexander kicks his legs looking around the room. “So you beat up a lot of people? That was one hell of a punch.”
Thomas, satisfied that the bleeding has stopped, turns around to face him. “No, my brothers a boxer actually. He needs a sparring partner every now and again.” He taps the underside of his jaw. “Sweet spot right here, you hit that and your opponent is out like a light.”
His phone beeps with a message.
“Washington is waiting for us, says he got caught up in a lunch deal.”
Alexander stands and together they exit the room and head down the hall to his office. The smaller man pauses with his hand on the doorknob to look up at Thomas.
“What are you smiling about?”
“It was really nice of you to stick up for me.” He meets his eyes and smiles. “Thank you.”
Thomas shrugs. “Don’t mention it.”
“Yeah but-”
“Ever.” He wags a finger at him.”I was serious about setting your hair on fire.”
Alexander grimaces before pushing the door open to Washington sitting at his desk smiling in greeting.
“Gentlemen so glad you could-” He trails off taking in Thomas’s cut and bruised lip and Alexander’s tear stained face.
“What happened to you two?”